HP's EliteBooks pack mics on both sides for clearer Skyping

The so-called world-facing mic is actually a microphone on the outside of the laptop's lid, and can be used in two modes. When you are in conferencing mode and the people around you are also participants in your call, the outside mic can better pick up their voices. In individual mode, the extra mic can be used for noise cancellation, making for stronger projection of your voice. It's not just for Skype calls, either, since the feature is managed by HP's built-in Noise Cancellation software and is meant for "PC calls".

That's not the only nifty addition to the EliteBook 800 series. You can also get a built-in shutter for your webcam, a la Lenovo's new Thinkpad X1 line, and get features like the built-in privacy screen that was introduced two years ago. HP's Sure Click software will also defend your laptop against malware, by running your browser in an isolated container so the things you come across while on the web wo not infect the rest of your machine. There's also PhoneWise, which was announced in January and will let you get your iPhone or Android's notifications on your PC, similar to Dell's Mobile Connect system. It does not look as if HP's problematic Touchpoint software will come installed.

Another camera-related feature is AR Emoji -- Samsung's answer to Apple's Animoji. So far, I find the S9's version more fun, mostly because it creates an emoji of my face and not an impersonal, generic one.
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